


Have A Holly Jolly (On-Air) Christmas

by takemehome21



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Journalism, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Exes, F/M, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 07:25:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9062320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/takemehome21/pseuds/takemehome21
Summary: “I know you, you’re a reporter,” she says. “You like to be out in the field. Rise and Shine means you’ll be stuck behind a desk.”“And I know you. I know all your weak spots. And I’m planning to win.”OR; when Bellamy finds out that Clarke is up for the job co-hosting the country's biggest morning show he wants in. And he wants to win.'Broadcasting Christmas' AU





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a cheesy Christmas movie called 'Broadcasting Christmas'. But unlike the many before and after it, the leads have actually know each other for longer than two weeks so they have a real connection!!! Finally.
> 
> Anyways, the characters are so Bellamy and Clarke so after watching the movie I couldn't resist writing this.
> 
> Please forgive any mistakes as I wasn't in the mood to proofread.
> 
> (Is December 26th too late to post a Christmas fic? I hope not.)

Bellamy’s day is routine.

He wakes up at 4:30 in the morning to the local radio station, brushes his teeth while coffee brews in the kitchen, gets dressed and heads in to one of Stamford’s lowest ranking TV station to get his assignment for the day. Then he does his report for the noon hour broadcast and makes sure everything is edited for the 6 o’clock broadcast. And then he’s home and in bed by 7:30. Lather, rinse, repeat. Every day.

To anyone else it might sound draining and boring and not at all rewarding but to Bellamy it’s a dream. He never imagined he’d be able to become a reporter but he did it. Does he care that they aren’t the number one channel in the city? No. He gets to do what he loves every day. And he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Except maybe a job co-hosting the country’s biggest morning show.  
  


* * *

  
Clarke is the anchor of a local New York City news station.

She’s up before the sun and asleep before most people have even eaten dinner.

It’s not most people’s ideal work day but she wouldn’t change a thing.

Her mother is a broadcasting legend so this way of life is no secret to her. She had been waking up before 5 o’clock every morning as a child to see her mom off to work. And she thought her mother was the most bad ass person in the world. So it’s no surprise that she followed in her footsteps even after their relationship turned rocky.

Clarke is pretty confident with her journalistic abilities. So when the producer of her show tells her she’s wanted upstairs after they’ve wrapped the newscast she’s not scared in the least. For a fleeting moment she wonders if she should be but then she remembers she’s Clarke Griffin, the most qualified person for this job.

She sneaks up behind Raven and blows in her ear just to piss her off.

“You’re lucky I love you,” Raven says as she turns around in her seat.

“That I am,” Clarke replies and leans against the chair. “So, what’s going on?”

“As the producer of Rise and Shine and your best friend, I thought it was my duty to inform you that we’re looking for a new co-host,” Raven says with a smirk.

“And?” Clarke asks slowly, not wanting to get her hopes up.

“And you’re one of three candidates being looking at!”

Clarke squeals and grabs Raven’s arm so tight it’ll probably leave a mark.

“Are you serious? The biggest morning show in the _country_ is considering me for the co-hosting job?”

Raven smiles at her enthusiasm and says, “Damn right they are, babe.”

Clarke laughs and jumps up and down a little. She’s been in the business for over ten years and reporting the local news is great but this job is on a whole new level. 

“I can’t believe this!” She says, slightly out of breath from all the excitement. “Our dream is coming true, Raven. You’re a big shot producer, I’m an anchor, and –”

“Yeah,” Raven replies with a frown. “Except there was a third person involved in that dream.”

Clarke nods. Of course she remembers. She’ll never be able to forget.

“Have you talked to her recently?” Raven continues.

“Nope,” Clarke says with a pop.

Raven hums and puts her hand over Clarke’s, rubbing soothing circles into her skin.  
  


* * *

  
When Bellamy gets into work that day the newsroom is buzzing about Rise and Shine looking for a new co-host.

“They’ve already got a list of three people they’re considering,” Miller tells Bellamy.

“Who’s in the running?”

“I think it’s Clarke Griffin, and um –”

Miller continues speaking but Bellamy can’t hear anything other than a loud buzz.

He sobers immediately, coming down from the high of gossiping and making ridiculous suggestions about who should get the job.

He vaguely registers something hitting his arm and then a hand waving in front of his face.  He just can’t believe this is happening.

“Bellamy! Dude, what the hell is wrong with you?”

He shakes his head and pushes his glasses up his nose.

“Sorry. Did you say Clarke Griffin?”

“Yeah. She’s a local news anchor for the same station that does Rise and Shine. She used to work hear I heard. Do you know her?”

Bellamy laughs at that. Does he know Clarke Griffin? There’s probably nobody in the world who knows Clarke Griffin better than he does.

“Six years ago we were up for the same job. The anchor position she has now in New York.”

“Oh,” Miller says, connecting the dots himself. “So I’m guessing there’s some bad blood there?”

“You could say that,” Bellamy replies. “She obviously got the job. And I’m still here.”

“That’s rough, man.”

“That’s not even the worst part.”

Miller just watches Bellamy, going over every possible scenario that could make that situation worse.

After a moment Bellamy shakes his head and says, “She was my girlfriend.”  
  


* * *

  
That night Bellamy is at a Christmas tree lot with Octavia and Lincoln, trying to help them find the perfect tree.

Octavia keeps rambling on about needle size and branch width but he can’t focus on a word she says.

All that’s running through his mind are memories from six years ago when Clarke got the job over him. He can still hear her asking him to move to New York with her. To start their lives fresh, in a new city, with new jobs. And then he remembers him saying no and them breaking up and her moving. Without him.

He’s wrenched from his thoughts when his cellphone rings from his pocket.

“Miller, what’s up?” He says once he answers the call.

“The anchors are stuck at City Hall. The mayor pushed back their interview so they can’t do the 11 o’clock broadcast. Can you come in?”

He looks at Octavia who’s inspecting a tree, leaning in so far that she’s almost engulfed by the branches.

“Yeah, I’ll be there in half an hour. I’m just out with O.”

“Sorry,” Miller says. “If there was anyone else I would tell you to stay but you’re the only one.”

“It’s no problem. Really.”

“Thanks, I’ll let everyone know,” he says and then they say their goodbyes.

Bellamy walks over to Octavia, pulling her out of the tree slowly.

“I got called in to anchor so I have to go,” he tells her.

Octavia frowns but says, “Alright. Go show them who’s boss.”

“Love you,” he says, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Tell Lincoln bye for me.”

“See you.”  
  


* * *

  
The last minute of the news is usually left up to the anchors to improvise. So when the teleprompter says “ad-lib” Bellamy doesn’t panic. He assumes the other anchor will make a comment about the recent snowfall or something.

But he asks Bellamy who he thinks should get the co-hosting gig at Rise and Shine. He doesn’t what happens to him but after a moment of awkward silence he says, “Me”.

His co-anchor laughs awkwardly, shuffling his papers to find something new to talk about.

“I would make a phenomenal co-host for Rise and Shine,” Bellamy says, rising from his chair to lean towards to the camera. “All I want for Christmas is a chance to prove it.”

He smiles at the camera and sits back down, gathers his paper and signs off the night.

The next morning at the office, Bellamy’s boss runs up to him as soon as he walks through the door.

“Oh god,” Bellamy mumbles to Miller once he catches sight of their boss.

“Bellamy!”

He cringes and rushes to apologize.

“I’m so sorry about last night. I don’t know what came over me. It might’ve been one too many candy canes. I hear peppermint can cause temporary insanity.”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” she says, clapping her hands together. “You’re trending on Twitter! You’re a pound sigh!”

“Hashtag,” Miller corrects.

Bellamy sighs in relief and claps Miller on the back before walking to the break room to make himself another coffee.  
  


* * *

  
Raven comes to visit Bellamy a few days later.

She comes up to him as he comes out of a restaurant in town.

“Raven,” he says, shocked to see her after so many years. “How did you find me?”

“Octavia tagged you on Instagram and she had the location tag on,” she replies, stuffing her hands into her jacket.

“Of course,” Bellamy says with a sigh.

“I have some good news,” she says, smiling at him as if they’re still best friends. “The network saw your on-air plea and you’re officially a contender for the job.”

“What?”

“They want you to come to New York and audition of the job. Every day until Christmas Eve, each contender while take a turn co-hosting. You have to come up with our own story ideas and present them however you want.”

“Wow,” Bellamy says, looking around to make sure he isn’t getting Punk’d or something. “And they’re considering me?”

“They love your passion. So are you in?”

“Hell yeah.”

And the next day Clarke comes to Stamford.

It’s been six years since he last saw her in person. He knows she hasn’t changed much because he’s watched some of her broadcasts but seeing her in person is a whole different ball game.

She comes to congratulate him but because she’s Clarke she can’t just leave it at that.

“The network only has you on the list because you made waves on the internet. You’re like the five-year-old who plays Jingle Bells on the piano.”

Bellamy gasps, offended.

“Did you really just compare me to a five-year-old?”

“Well, yeah. Not because you’re like a five-year-old, because you aren’t. You’re very mature.  What I mean to say is that they’re just doing this because you’re internet famous.”

Bellamy snorts, as if that’s so much better than being compared to a little kid.

“Thanks a lot, Clarke.”

“I know you, you’re a reporter,” she says after sighing at his reaction. “You like to be out in the field. Rise and Shine means you’ll be stuck behind a desk.”

“And I know you. I know all your weak spots. And I’m planning to win.”

He smirks at her and then walks away, leaving her alone on the sidewalk.  
  


* * *

  
Clarke is the first person to go on-air and co-host.

Bellamy watches on the computer in his cubicle. Not because he cares how Clarke does. He’s simply checking up on the competition.

The regular host of the show starts a conversation about family holiday traditions.

“I have a friend whose mother accidentally blew up a turkey,” she tells the other host.

“How in the world does that happen?”

“Well she tried to deep fry the turkey while it was still frozen and boom, it exploded,” she explains. “Thankfully they were cooking it outside and not in the house or I’d be telling a very different story.”

Bellamy gasps and gets out of his chair so violently he thinks he might’ve broken it.

He storms to the studio and catches Clarke as she’s leaving set.

“You stole my story!”

Clarke cringes at his volume and pulls on his arm to take them somewhere more private.

“I panicked, okay,” she says as if that justifies her telling his family’s stories. “I can’t use my family as anecdotes.”

Bellamy isn’t pleased with her excuses.

“You were different in Stamford,” he says.

“Well the rules are different here,” she replies sharply.

He huffs and turns away from her to go back to his cubicle. He’s got a story to plan.  
  


* * *

  
When it’s Bellamy’s day to host he gets the five-year-old who plays Jingle Bells to come on the show and play the song.

He’s not saying he did it out of spite but he’s not _not_ saying that either.

Clarke is with Raven and they see Bellamy on the TV, co-hosting, while they’re getting coffee and Danishes

Clarke is out with a co-worker when Bellamy’s broadcast is airing and the coffee shop they’re at has it up on the TV.

Her mouth drops open when she sees the angle he’s pushing and she can’t believe him. So what if she compared him to that kid? The kid is talented and on national television. It’s not a bad person to be compared to.

“He looks good, dude. This is good television,” her co-worker says as he watches Bellamy try to play along with the kid.  
  


* * *

  
They’re down to three candidates after the sports star that was in the running gets the boot his first broadcast. The guy could barely hold a conversation so Raven told him he was no longer in the running and to go home.

The other candidate has her own TV show about planning weddings, or going to weddings, Bellamy doesn’t care. But she tells Bellamy that the competition is pointless and that has him paying more attention to her.

“Excuse me?” He asks, tearing his attention away from Clarke as she attempts to dance with Santa’s elves at the mall.

“You and Clarke are just novelties. I’m the one they really want.”

Bellamy scoffs and turns away from her.

“Somebody is a little bit too confident,” he says.

“Sweetie, I run a media _empire_ ,” she tells him. “Plus, my agent already has the contract.”

His head whips to look at her and he’s shocked to say the least. He can’t believe this is true. Raven would’ve told him and Clarke if the network already gave the job to somebody.

With a glare Bellamy storms away from her to sit on a bench just a little ways off from Santa’s village.

Clarke finds him after the show is done.

“I think we’re being played,” he says as a greeting.

Clarke’s eyebrows furrow as she takes a seat beside him.

“What are we even doing here? We’re just a publicity stunt,” he continues.

“Bellamy, that’s not true.”

“It is though! That stupid broad already has the contracts. This is a farce.”

“No, Raven wouldn’t do that to us,” she says.

“Who’s to say she knows about this?”  
  


* * *

  
She doesn’t.

Raven is shocked to find out that the network had already given out a contract before the competition was even over.

“I promise I’ll get to the bottom of this,” she tells them.

Clarke nods but Bellamy still looks dejected.

“I’d love it if you two could pitch something together,” Raven says, nudging Bellamy.

“I guess we could do that,” he replies.

But he still doesn’t see the point.

They end up covering the unveiling of a light display that’s been happening every year since 1899.

It’s a huge event that draws lots of crowds. And they agree that it’s an interesting story to tell.

But as soon as they get to the site of the unveiling, they revert back to their old ways.

“Okay, we should get a shot from across the street of all the people gathered in the park,” Bellamy tells the camera operator.

“No, we should get a shot of the building before the unveiling,” Clarke says.

“Listen, we’re going to the park. I’ll do all the work and we’ll say we both did it.”

“Bellamy, no. We’re supposed to be a team.”

“We are. So let’s go to the park,” he says and ushers the camera operator in that direction.

He hears Clarke sigh from behind him but he pays her no attention.

Until something wet and hard hits his back.

He turns to see Clarke wiping snow from her gloves.

Bellamy gasps and says, “Did you just throw a snowball at me?”

She shrugs but her smirk lets him know that she in fact did nail him with a snowball.

Before she can react, he reaches down to grab some snow and throws it at her.

They go on like that for another minute, dodging snowballs and running around each other. Finally with a heaving chest Clarke stops and puts her hand up to stop him.

“Admit it,” she says, taking a deep breath. “You’re scared. That’s why you stayed in Stamford six years ago. It’s why you didn’t want to come with me, you’re scared.”

Bellamy just glares at her and shrugs off the accusations off while brushing all the snow off his coat.

“I should’ve fought harder for us,” she says, coming closer to him now.

“I just kept picturing us in New York. You going off to my dream job everyday while I was doing nothing, trying to find a job when you had the one I really wanted.”

Clarke presses her lips together. She can understand that. If the roles were reversed she wouldn’t want to stay home while he lived their dream.

“And here we are again,” she says.

They really have to stop competing with each other.

“Except neither of us are getting it,” he replies.

Clarke holds out her hand and says, “I’m offering a truce.”

He takes her hand and shakes it, smiling as he does it.

“I’ve missed you.”

“I get so excited going into the office every single day because I know you’re going to be there. It feels like old times,” she says with a smile.

During the conversation they’ve somehow gravitated closer to each other. When Clarke notices their closeness she leans in a little more. Bellamy does the same, eyes flitting down to her lips before looking in her eyes once again. But right as they’re about to close that last bit of distance the light display turns on and everyone around them cheers. It effectively breaks the spell they were under and they step away from each other quickly.

Bellamy turns to the camera operator and says, “Please tell me you got that”

He gives them a thumbs up and they both sigh in relief.

They turn to look at all the lights in the display and Clarke smiles. She feels something against her hand and looks down to see Bellamy’s fingers brush against her hand.

She bites her lip and turns her hand so she can intertwine her fingers with Bellamy’s.

And they stay there, holding hands and watching the lights, until the camera operator tells them they need to film interviews.  
  


* * *

  
A week before Christmas the other contender drops out because she got a better offer, planning some famous person’s wedding. Bellamy doesn’t really care about the specifics because it means that he actually has a shot at the job.

But it also means competing with Clarke again.

Raven basically pushes the other woman out of the office building while Bellamy and Clarke sit and watch, trying to hold in their giggles.

“And then there were two,” she says solemnly.

“I guess this means our truce is over,” Bellamy concludes.

Clarke shrugs and says, “It was fun while it lasted.”

They both dissolve into fits of laughter and it’s nice.  
  


* * *

  
For the next week Bellamy and Clarke step up their on-air game.

Clarke bakes cookies with Mrs. Claus and Bellamy does the weather (badly).

While she’s learning to dance with elves he’s making Christmas ornaments with kids.

Then she models ugly Christmas sweaters in the studio and he goes to an elementary school to judge a cookie contest.

By some miracle it doesn’t feel like a competition. It’s just two friends cheering each other on, pushing the other to be better. And it shows in the content they create.  
  


* * *

  
The contest is almost over so they’re both preparing their final broadcasts.

Octavia tells Bellamy that someone in their town owns a hundred year old fruit cake and the statement is so absurd that Bellamy knows that has to be his last story.

It just worked out that Clarke’s cubicle is beside Bellamy’s so when he hears her talking about camels he shoots out of his chair and looks over the wall dividing their work areas.

“Camel?” He asks excitedly.

She waves a hand at him to tell him to shut up because she’s still on the phone and he smiles as he watches all the pieces come together on her story.

He taps his fingers against the top of their cubicle wall and waits _~~im~~_ patiently for her to finish her call.

“You are literally a child,” she says once she says goodbye to the person she was talking to.

“You’re going to meet a camel?”

Clarke laughs and then says, “Yeah. I’m working the whole live nativity scene angle. You know, where the animals come from, how people get the roles, is it volunteer, do they get paid.”

“Nice,” Bellamy says with a smirk. “Can’t wait to see the finished product.”

“Thanks. And what about you?”

“This woman in Stamford has a hundred year old fruitcake that’s been passed down through generations and for some reason it has still kept.”

“Classic Bellamy Blake story,” she says and smiles fondly at him.

Confused, Bellamy asks, “What?”

“You know, human interest, relatable, heartfelt, emotional, and personal. Bellamy Blake stories.”

“I try,” he says modestly and shrugs off her compliment.

“You succeed.”

Bellamy stares at her, mouth hanging open a little bit in shock.

“Thank you,” he says voice low and husky.

Then Raven comes up to their desks and tells them that the host of Rise and Shine wants Bellamy and Clarke to host the Christmas Eve telethon on their own.

“Also, I’m having a Christmas party and you two are coming,” she says, punching them both on the shoulders.

“I haven’t been to a Raven Reyes Christmas party in forever,” Bellamy remarks.

“We always said we’d find time to see each other. You don’t find the time, you make the time. So come to my party and dress pretty.”

Bellamy and Clarke nod, taking this very seriously. Raven is not one to be messed with.

“And bring dates,” she finishes with a pointed stare at the two of them.

They both stutter, trying to say that they can get a date no problem but Raven isn’t fooled. She knows they’re both lonely and pathetic.

(And into each other. But she doesn’t say that.)  
  


* * *

  
At the party that night Clarke shows up with the weather girl from Rise and Shine.

She’s not Clarke’s first choice, she’s not even her second or third or tenth choice. But it’s what she’s got.

And then she sees Bellamy standing alone and her stomach tightens. If she had known he wasn’t going to come with anyone she wouldn’t have either.

When she finally reaches him it’s awkward and she picks at her nails so she doesn’t have to make eye contact with him.

“You look –” he trails off.

“Did I overdo it?” She asks, head shooting up and eyebrows crinkling together.

“Not at all,” he says quickly to reassure her. “I was going to say you look nice.”

Clarke swishes her dress a little and says, “I’m full of surprises.”

Bellamy laughs and says, “Oh is that what you’re full of?”

They smile at each other, Clarke’s date forgotten but then a guy walks up to Bellamy and puts his hand on his shoulder.

“Clarke, this is my date. You remember him?”

It’s the contestant who was put out of the running on the first day. The baseball player who can’t even hold a conversation. Clarke recognizes him and he looks like a nice guy but she still hates him on principle.

It’s awkward and Clarke barely remembers to introduce her date before she makes an excuse to leave and go get mulled wine.

She feels someone come up behind her and she just knows it’s Bellamy.

She whirls around and says, “You don’t even like baseball!”

He takes a step back, surprised by her accusatory tone.

“I don’t mind the occasional sporting event,” he says.

Clarke stares at him, eyebrows raised.

Bellamy cracks after a minute and says, “Fine, best I could do on short notice.”

“Me too,” she admits with a sigh.

She pours them both a cup of mulled wine and watches as Bellamy chugs his.

“Take it easy there, Blake.”

“I can handle it,” he says before burping.

Clarke laughs and takes a small sip of her drink. Bellamy smiles at her and puts his cup back on the table.

He adjusts the collar of his dress shirt and says, “So, I didn’t know you were into meteorologists.”

Clarke snorts and takes another sip of wine.

“She’s barely a meteorologist. I don’t think she even knows what that word means.”

“That’s a shame. Are you going to go out with her again?”

Before Clarke can answer Raven walks up to them and shakes her head.

“You two trying to make each other jealous, and denying it really adds to the entertainment value,” she says with a glance back at the dates they left stranded.

“You told us we were supposed to bring dates,” Clarke says, looking at Bellamy with a confused expression.

“Yeah it was supposed to be a hint,” Raven responds heatedly and walked away from them.

“Weird,” Bellamy says.

Clarke hums and watches as their dates take an interest in each other.

“Looks like we’re good matchmakers,” she tells him, pointing across the room. “Do you want to get out of here?”

“You read my mind,” he says and holds his arm out for her.

She links her arm with his and they sneak out when Raven isn’t paying attention.

While they’re walking she tells him that Abby doesn’t like her doing the on-air contest to get the job.

“She wants me to work up through regular news.”

“She doesn’t know what she’s talking about, Clarke.”

Clarke squeezes his arm and smiles.

“You report the events of the day but you make people feel like it’s going to be okay. People see your face and they know it’s going to be a good day,” he says.

“You always know just what to say,” she replies.

Then they come across a guy playing Christmas songs on the saxophone.

Bellamy gets money out of his pocket to put in the guy’s case. Then he holds out his arms and Clarke goes to him easily. And then they’re wrapped around each other, swaying to the music from the saxophone.

“When all this is over, you think –”

“We’ve been down that road before, Clarke.”

“Maybe it was just bad timing,” she says, looking up at him. “C’mon, just one dinner.”

“I got distracted by us last time; it threw me off my game. Let’s just wait until all of this is over and then we’ll see,” he says, reaching up to play with the ends of her hair.

“I’m going to ask you again.”

“I gathered that much,” he says with a smile.

“Well I’m going to do it.”

“Oh my God, you really want to win this.”

“I do.”

“Stop talking you’re ruining the moment.”

Clarke raises her eyebrows, smirks, and then says, “We’re having a moment?”

“Yes, Clarke.”

She smiles shyly and they continue to dance on the sidewalk.

And then it starts snowing.

Clarke rests her head on his shoulder, nuzzling against his warmth and Bellamy tightens his hold on her.  
  


* * *

  
It’s her dad who finally tells her that Abby is the one who got her the anchor job six years ago.

Her mother had made a call and persuaded the network to put Clarke at the top of their list. She wasn’t the first choice for the job.

Bellamy was.  
  


* * *

  
Clarke is distracted at work the next day while Bellamy is hard at work to get his fruit cake story.

She wanders away from the office area and makes her way to the set of Rise and Shine. It’s empty and dark and Clarke takes the opportunity to just think.

Raven finds her staring at the news desk.

“Did you know that I got the job because of my mother?”

“Yes,” Raven says, confused, as if Clarke should’ve known that.

“I didn’t. I didn’t know that Bellamy was their first choice or that my mom called in favours that I didn’t ask for. I thought I had earned it. All this time, I can’t believe it.”

Raven puts a hand on Clarke’s shoulder. She tells Raven her idea of telling Bellamy about this revelation and she swears up and down that it’s a terrible idea.

Clarke turns to face her and says, “He is smart, driven, and beautiful. He was better than me then, he’s better than me now. Bellamy deserves to know.”

Raven sucks in a breath and drops her hand from Clarke’s shoulder.

“You’re in love.”

“That’s not what this is about.”

“Of course it is,” Raven says.

Clarke shakes her head and starts to pace.

“If Bellamy loses he goes back and all the stuff that kept you apart keeps you apart again. But if he wins he’ll move here, you go back to your anchor job and we’ll all be in the same place again.”

“We’ll it is Christmastime, miracles are known to happen,” Clarke says.

But she doesn’t know if she believes what she says.  
  


* * *

  
“You’re going to get the job and Clarke can suck it,” Octavia says when Bellamy tells her he’s going with the fruit cake story and he’ll be in town that day.

“She’s not so bad,” he says.

The line goes silent and Bellamy moves his phone from his ear to make sure that the call wasn’t disconnected.

“Oh my God, you’re falling for her all over again,” she accuses.

“Don’t even, O,” he says and hangs up after a quick goodbye.

As soon as he hangs up the news truck pulls up to the fruit cake lady’s house. He gets out of the car and sees Clarke, bundled up and shovelling the porch.

“Don’t you dare,” he calls out to her as he walks up the driveway.

“I’m just here to help you get the perfect story,” she says. “She won’t let me or any other news people in. I tried to charm her, guess she’s not in to girls.”

“Her loss,” he says once he reaches her.

And then the front door opens and the fruit cake lady tells him she doesn’t want to be on TV and be made the laughing stock of the country.

“I promise it won’t be like that. What do we have to do to make you comfortable?” He asks.

She considers the question for a moment and then says, “The driveway,” before shutting the door in their faces.  
  


* * *

  
The finish the driveway together in record time and once that’s done the lady finally invites them in.

Bellamy interviews her while Clarke watches from behind the camera.

The lady talks about how the cake was originally saved for her grandfather for when he came back from the war. He never did but her grandmother sprayed it with rum, wrapped it in a towel and it kept. And that’s been done every year for a hundred years, passed down from her grandmother to her mother and eventually to her.

After the interview Bellamy and Clarke linger in the driveway.

“Six years ago I should’ve been happy for you. But I got embarrassed instead,” Bellamy says.

“Is that why you didn’t come with me?”

Bellamy starts to explain, wanting to finally get over this _thing_ between them. But Clarke can’t keep her secret any more so she interrupts him.

“My mother made a call six years ago. It’s the reason I got the anchor job in New York,” she blurts out.

Bellamy is shocked to say the least. His mouth opens and closes as he flounders for words for a moment before settling on, “Oh wow.”

“I asked her to do it. I just wanted her to find out where I was in the process, if I was even a contender. I didn’t know she’d pull strings so they would hire me.”

“Oh, was I –?”

Clarke bows her head, embarrassed at herself.

“Yeah you were their first choice”

Bellamy staggers backwards, like her words were a physical blow.

“I can’t believe I made myself believe I wasn’t good enough! All these years I thought it was my fault I didn’t get the job but it wasn’t.”

He laughs in disbelief, shaking his head.

“Now I know if I get too close to the prize your mommy will be there to sweep in and make sure you get it, unfair and square,” he says.

“I had no idea, please, Bellamy. You have to know I’m telling the truth,” she says and takes a step towards him.

He holds up his hands and backs away from her.

“I can’t do this, I’m just going to go home.”

And he leaves her standing in the driveway.

He calls Octavia as he’s walking to get a ride home.

“It sounds like he didn’t mean to hurt you,” she says after Bellamy tells her the story in the car.

“Still hurt.”

“Do you want me to come in?” She asks when she pulls up to his house.

“I need to be by myself for a while.”

She leans over to kiss his cheek and squeeze his arm.

“Call me if you need anything.”

“Thanks, O.”  
  


* * *

  
Raven phones him next morning.

Clarke told her what happened after the interview the day before and she is not pleased.

“You need to come in and supervise the edit so it can air this morning,” she says.

“I can’t,” Bellamy says.

He’s already trying not to crying into his oatmeal, he doesn’t need this conversation with Raven to make it harder.

“Give me a better reason than hurt feelings to run away from this opportunity.”

“The game is rigged. It’s all about connections, Raven. Connections that I don’t have.”

“Please don’t quit now,” she pleads with him.

“I’m out Raven.”

“What about the story?”

“Do whatever you want with it,” he says.

And then he hangs up with the phone.

Clarke is in Raven’s office, listening to half of the conversation.

“He says do whatever,” she says when she hangs up.

“Sounds like permission to me.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“It’s a good story, it deserves to be heard,” Clarke says.  
  


* * *

  
The TV is on at Bellamy’s house while Octavia and Lincoln eat breakfast on his couch.

He gave up on the oatmeal after he hung up on Raven. He even had to call in reinforcements.

Octavia turns it to Rise and Shine and Bellamy groans. But as soon as he sees Clarke on the screen he shuts up. Then she’s talking about his fruit cake story and his jaw drops.

“She wouldn't dare,” he says.

Clarke covers for him, lies away his absence by saying he has laryngitis and can’t be there to tell the story.

She even does the voice overs, leaving in only the best parts of the interview, and he just knows that she helped edit it.

Bellamy tells his heart to shut up.

It doesn’t mean anything. She’s just trying to get a job.

The segment ends with the fruitcake lady saying, “It's a reminder that wherever the world takes you there's a place where your heart remains.”

It awakens something in Bellamy but he tries to squash down whatever he’s feeling inside.

“Why would she finish the story?”

“Because you deserve it,” Lincoln says.  
  


* * *

  
A few days later it’s time for the Christmas Eve telethon he’s supposed to co-host with Clarke.

To her surprise he actually shows up.

Clarke is so happy to see him that she almost runs to him when he walks through the door but she keeps her cool and waits for him to approach her.

“You made it,” she says when he finally walks up to her.

Having no time for small talk Bellamy says, “I'm not sure why you did what you did but thank you.”

“You would've done the same for me.”

Bellamy shrugs and says, “Probably,” as if they both don’t know he’d do that and more in a heartbeat.

“I'll see you on TV,” she says with a smile and goes to hair and makeup.  
  


* * *

  
He gets the saxophone guy to come in and play at the telethon and Bellamy smirks as she watches Clarke’s reaction.

Once the segment is over he rushes off set to pour himself a cup of coffee. Mostly because he’s due for some caffeine and only a little bit because he doesn’t want Clarke to confront him about his choice of entertainers.

As Bellamy is pouring himself a cup of coffee Clarke comes up and says, “So you got our guy.”

Bellamy sputters, almost dumping the entire coffee pot on to the table.

“He's not our guy, he's just a very talented musician,” he says.

“But you got our guy,” she replies.

She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively and Bellamy snorts.  
  


* * *

  
While they’re on-air, right before midnight, the teleprompters go off and Raven is beside the camera holding cue cards for them to read off of instead.

**_Congratulate each other._ **

**_Say you’re sorry._ **

**_For you know what._ **

Bellamy turns to Clarke and says, “I know you always worry about not deserving what you have but you've earned this one, Clarke. I'm always a few steps behind and I'll be fine no matter what happens or who wins.”

“You deserve this. You are a fantastic report and you have so much heart. The world could gain a lot from watching you,” she says, grabbing his hand.

“You really mean that?” He asks, never one to be confident in himself.

She squeezes his hand and he squeezes back.

“I do.”

They smile at each other, brilliantly, blinding.

“Stay here in New York,” she pleads. “Take the job that you deserve and let's have a second chance at us.”

Raven makes a show of switch the cards and the new one reads:

**_Now say I love you._ **

“I love you Bellamy Blake.”

“I love you too, Clarke Griffin. You're where my heart is.”

With a smile they both lean in, uncaring of who is watching (probably the entire country).

They kiss just as the clock behind them turns to midnight, music starts playing to signal the beginning of Christmas Day. They back away from each other slightly, just a little bit embarrassed that they just declared their love for each other on national television and then proceeded to make out instead of doing their jobs.

Bellamy laughs and runs his thumb over the redness colouring Clarke’s cheeks.

The host of the show comes on air to announce who will be co-hosting with her from now on.

“After much consideration I've reached a decision...”  
  


* * *

  
“It’s been quite chilly the last few days,” Bellamy says from behind the desk, his Rise and Shine mug in front of him. “I don’t mind the cold but I know Clarke can’t stand it.”

“You’ve got that right, Bellamy,” Clarke says from her position beside him at the desk.

“Here's a look at your morning forecast. And for Clarke’s sake, let’s hope there’s a warm up coming soon.”

The cameras turn off as the feed cuts to the weather desk and a swarm of people surround Rise and Shine’s two new co-hosts.

“Love you,” Clarke says as the makeup artist comes to the desk to give them quick touch ups.

“Love you,” Bellamy replies.

Clarke turns to him once the makeup artist leaves and says, “I told you. I see that face and I know it's going to be a good day.”

Bellamy smiles so brightly Clarke thinks she might have permanent damage to her eyesight. But she can’t bring herself to care because she’s got everything she’s ever wanted. A journalism job that broadcasts across the country and an amazing co-host who just happens to be her beautiful boyfriend.

So she leans over the arm of her chair to kiss him because she can’t get enough of Bellamy.

His hand comes up to cup her cheek, makeup be damned, and kisses her like it’s the first and last time.

Raven calls for everyone to get ready to be back on air.

Bellamy pulls away from Clarke and fixes the strands of hair that have gone wild.

“Knock ‘em dead,” he says.

“Right back at you, babe.”


End file.
